Sputum nightmare!

[Pinay02/16/2011 0]

Hello everyone. I have a problem with my mom's petition. Her case is expedited but it turns out that her sputum test at St. Lukes is positive. The problem is she is from the province and we will not be able to afford the everyday commute for 6 months to Manila and renting is out of the question too because it is expensive and she can not be by herself since she is almost 80 years old. So my brother and her went to a local DOH clinic where she lives and showed the positive test of St. Lukes so they tested her again and did x-rays and it came out negative. So what is freakin' me out is that theywould not give her the treatment because she is not sick at all. And we all know that the US embassy will not accept any other results besides St. Lukes. It will take 6 to 9 months at St. Lukes to finish the treatments and outside clinics treatment will last the same plus a year of waiting period before getting another medical. St. Lukes said it was the US embassy in Manila's rule. I think that they are making this into a business in expense of my mom's health. I am so stressed and frustrated, I do not know what to do? I just want my mom to spend what little time she has to get to know my son who she had not seen in person except on facebook. My dad who died in 2020 did not make it because the petition got on hold because of covid so it is just my mom now. Is there anyone here have the same experience like me? Please HELP!!!

[jskibo 588]

My MIL popped positive and has just finished her treatments.  She was up everyday at 3am to take a bus to Manila for the treatment but a bit easier since she's in cavite area. 

 

Now waiting another two months for results of new culture before she can finish the medical and get the interview.  

 

All this fun for us started July 2019. 

 

I had thought SLEC will only accept the treatment through them and not accept it being done elsewhere.  

 

I've seen a few rent apartments in Manila while getting the treatment if they lived too far away. 

 

Good luck and hope it works out well for both of you. 

 

[Chancy 6,241]

14 hours ago, Pinay02/16/2011 said:

I think that they are making this into a business in expense of my mom's health. I am so stressed and frustrated, I do not know what to do?

 

There's no additional fee for the TB treatment at SLEC, as far as I know.  Unfortunately, it seems there's no other option but to complete DOT at SLEC if you want a US visa for your mom.  The US embassy in Manila will not accept medical results from any other clinic.

 

[PWB 213]

Reading your post gave me flashbacks.  SLEC put my wife through the sputum  process three times and caused a year long delay in processing our K1 visa.  Each time she did sputum testing the culture came back negative.  When she finally got here I had her tested and there was no evidence of TB.  The nightmares of SLEC and their sputum testing are well documented, the question is why they are allowed to continue this sham.  So sorry for you and yes it is frustrating that when you challenge SLEC they just blame the Embassy.

 

[Pinay02/16/2011 0]

Thank you all for your response. The thing is I don't want my mom to get treated or given those strong medications if she is not sick. She is very old she will be 80 years old this coming January and taking those medicines for TB will not be safe for her. Is it possible to ask for a retest at St. Lukes or message the US. Embassy for a solution. SLEC will make her sick if they force her the medications for TB if she is not sick ot worse.

[Chancy 6,241]

11 minutes ago, Pinay02/16/2011 said:

Is it possible to ask for a retest at St. Lukes or message the US. Embassy for a solution.

 

It is possible to get a re-test, but you will have to pay the full price for a new medical at SLEC.  There's no partial payment to redo the sputum testing only.  If your mom tests positive again after another round of sputum testing, there's no way other than completing DOT at SLEC if you want a US visa for your mom.  Contacting the US embassy will be pointless as there is no waiver for active TB for IR visa class applications, and USEM has granted SLEC full authority with matters regarding visa medicals in the Philippines.  Note that USEM now has a record of your mom's positive sputum test results, so she will not be eligible for any kind of US visa (not even tourist visa), until SLEC medically clears her.